Hundreds of members of JCSA Prospect and Unite, which represent civil servants, have taken part in industrial action, including a series of strikes, in recent months after receiving 1% pay rises for both 2018 and 2019.
Large sections of the public sector are discontent with receiving wage increases which do not keep pace with the increasing cost of living, with Jersey’s latest inflation level measured at 3.9%, which was double the UK rate.
Terry Renouf, the president of Prospect’s Jersey branch, said that the SEB was due to meet representatives early next week to make them a revised offer.
‘We have been told that a revised offer is going to be made to us but we can’t meet this week, so it is going to be at 2pm on Monday,’ he said.
‘After that we will be releasing a statement in response to the offer. Obviously if it is unsatisfactory, then there will be further and escalated industrial action.
‘We don’t want to strike again.
‘We want to get back to our jobs, but if we are not treated with the respect we deserve and paid fairly, then we will have no choice.’
Earlier this month two teaching unions – the NEU and NASUWT – announced that their members would be striking on Tuesday 26 February unless a better offer than the 2% pay rise they received for 2018 and 2019 was made to them.
Mr Renouf said that he ‘completely understands’ the position of the teaching unions because they are ‘in the same boat’ as the Island’s civil servants.
Union representatives are currently in mediation talks with the States Employment Board over the pay dispute, which are being overseen by the Jersey Advisory Conciliatory Service.
The SEB has continually maintained that there is ‘no money’ available for further pay rises.
